Molding machine



1930. T. o. MORRlS ET AL I 2 MOLDING MACHINE Filed July 8, 1929 [HIMINVENTORS 35 7770/7705 QMOrrIs 1O JOh/T a];

ATTORNEY latentecl Dec. 30, 1930 THOMAS O. MORRIS, OF EASTON,PENNSYLVANIA, AND JOHN J. LAWLOR;'0F PLAZN- FIELD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNORST AUTOIVIATIC MOLDING MACHINE. CORPORA- TION, 0]? DOVER, DELAWARE, ACORPORATION OF DELAVTARE MOLDING MACHINE Application filed July 8,

The machine described in said application comprises, in general, atable, and a flask carrier which may be moved vertically so that a flasksupported thereby wil be'raised 15 sufiiciently to clear tl e table whenit is desired to roll the flask over. The vertical movement of theflask-carrier also permits of drawing the pattern. Said machine is alsoso arranged that when the flask carrier is raised to the limit of itsstroke it will turn laterally through an angle of about 90 dcgrees, sothat when lowered again it will deposit its load upon a suitable supportoutside of the machine. On the next complete verturn automatically toits original position adjacent the table. This automatic lateralmovement of the flask carrier does away with the necessity for anoverhead crane in han e dling large molds, because the molds or moldsections as they are completed may be deposited by the laterally movingflask carrier upon a conveyor conveniently located ad acent the moldingmachine. The machine is, therefore, particularly adapted for handlinglarge and heavy flasks. However, when a large number of small molds areto be made it is not necessary to employ automatic means for removingthe molds from the machine, 5 nor is it necessary to raise the flask ashigh, either for the rolling over operation or for drawing the pattern.However, the operator of the machine cannot alwtys gage the properheight to which the mold must be raised and is apt to raise it too far.This means a waste of time which, in working on a production basis, mayrepresent a serious loss.

It is an object of our present invention'to provide a stop for limitingthe height to which the flask carrier may be raised, said stop'beinglocated below the point at which the flask carrier swings laterally. 7

Another object of our invention is to provide means for adjusting theposition of the tical reciprocation, the flask carrier will re- SerialNo. 376,?07.

stop, so as to adapt the machine for patterns and molds of differentsizes.

Still another object is to provide a stop which is applicable to themachine when the latter is. to be used for high speed work on smallmolds, such as can be removed manually, the stop being removable so thatthe machine can also be adapted for use on large molds which must behandled by mechanical power.

A preferred embodiment of our invention ill he described in connectionwith the accompanying drawings and thereafter the novelty and scope ofour invention will be pointed out in the claims.

in the drawings;

Figure l is a side elevation of our molding machine with certain partsthereof partly broken away; and

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same with a portion of the machine insection.

In thedrawings, we have used the numeral 10 to indicate the base of themolding machine. The base carries a table 11 which maybe pneumaticallyraised and lowered in the usual well known manner. At one side of thetable, the base 10 is formed with a cylindrical bracket 12 in which'issupported and secured a vertical column or fixed plungr 13. The latterispreferably located adjacent one corner of the table as indicated inFig. 2. Fitted over the column 13 is a sleeve or cylinder 14 which isadapted to slide on the plunger. A cylinder head 15 closes the upper endof the cylinder and the plunger may be fitted with piston rings (notshown) to provide an airtight seal between the plunger and the cylinder.The upper end of the plunger is closed except for an air pipe 14athrough which air under pressure is admitted into the space between thetop'ot the column and the cylinder head 1.5 to raise the cylinder withrespect to the column.

Mounted on the cylinder is the hub 16 of a flask carrier. From the hubprojects a short arm 17 parallel to the adjacent end of the table 11.The end of this arm provides a support for a pedestal or guide member18. The

hub 16 is also provided. with a longer arm 19 which projects at rightangles to the shorter arm and passes to the rear of the base 10 andbelow the level of the table 11 when the parts are in their lowermostposition. The outer end of the arm 19 is bent forward, as indicated at20, and provides a support for a pedestal or guide member 21, similar tothe pedestal 18.

Each of the'pedestals is provided with ways for a vertically slidablyhead 22. An ad justable stop, such as a screw 23, serves to limit thenormal or low position of each slide head 22. Each slide head provides abearing for a horizontal shaft 24 which is adjustable axially in theslide head 22. Collars 25 at opposite sides of the head 22 serve to holdthe shaft at desired adjustment. Secured to the inner end of each shaft24, that is, the end toward the table, is atrunnion head 26. Eachtrunnion head has a pair of pins 27 adaptedtoengage sockets (not shown)formed in flask 2S. -Each shaft 24 has a keyway 29 adapted to be engagedby a key in the slide head and a handle 30 serves to raise the key outof engagement with the keyway, so as the collars 25. The pins 27 arespring pressed toward the flask (the springs not being shown) and aneccentric operated by a handle 31 is employed to withdraw each pair ofpins from engagement with the flask, whenever desired.

Mounted to turn freely on the upper end of the cylinder 14 is a hub 32which is fitted between the head 15 and a collar 33 secured to thecylinder. The hub 32 is formed with an arm 34 which at its outer endcarries a rain head 35. The ram head has a vertical stem 36 which slidesin a bearing in the outer end of the arm 34, This shaft is formed withapertures through which a pin 37 may be inserted. Pivotally mounted atthe outer end of the arm 34 are two cam arms 38 which may be swung abouttheir pivot by means of a lever 39. By operating the lever 39 the camarms may be turned so as to engage the pin 37 and lift the ramhead outof operative position. or to the position shown in Fig. 1. A pin 40 beinserted in one of the apertures in the shaft 36 under the arm 34 tolimitupward movement of the ramhead when desired.

Secured to the bracket 12 is a cylindrically curved cam plate 41 whichpartly surrounds the cylinder 14. As shown in Fig. 1 the cam plate isformed with two vertical slots 42 and which are connected at the top byan inclined broad slot which widens toward the slot This inclined slotis defined by two spiral walls 44 and 45, respectively, connecting theouter end. and inner walls of the vertical slots 42 and 43. Fixed in thehub 16 is a pin 46 which is adapted to engage the grooves in the camplate 41.

With the parts in the position shown in the drawings it will be evidentthat when the cylinder 12- is raised and with it the hub 16, the pin 46,while in the slot 42, will keep the hub 16 of the flask carrier fromturning; but when the pin enters the inclined slot and engages thespiral wall 4-1 it will rotate the flask carrier on its axis, therebyswinging the flask laterally away from the machine. Now when thecylinder 14 is permitted to recede by gravity the pin 46 will move downthe slot The next time the cylinder 14 is raised the pin 46 will beguided by the slot 43; but as the pin nears the top of its slot it willengage a trigger mechanism and be moved laterally thereby over thespiral wall 45, so that when the cylinder recedes again the pin will beguided by the spiral wall to the vertical slot 42 thereby returning thehub to its original position.

The trigger mechanism above referred to consists of a substantiallytriangular member 47 which is pivoted near one corner to the am plate 41in such osition that it will hang by gravity with one nose 48 of thetriangle projecting across the slot 43. It will be evident that when thepin 46 moves downward past the trigger it will push the trigger out ofits path, but when it moves upward it will strike the nose 48 and willbe compelled by the trigger to move laterally toward the slot 42.

The construction so far described is sul stantially identical. with thatalready disclosed in our copending application above referred to. Thenovelty of the present invention lies chiefly in a stop means forpreventing the hub 16, and hence the cylinder on which it is mounted,from rising more than a predetermined distance. The stop means consistsof a stop plate 50 which is adapted to be secured across the cam slot42. As clearly shown in the drawings, the cam plate is provided withstrengthening ribs and one of these ribs 51 lies closely adjacent to oneof the walls of the slot 42. The stop plate 50 is of rectangular formwith one edge adapted to it against the rib 51 while the plate issecured to a facing 52 formed on the cam plate at the other side of theslot 42. The facing 52 is provided with a number of threaded holes 53which are adapted to receive a screw 54 which passes through the plate50. The plate 50 may thus be attached to the cam plate at any one of anumber of positions and will lie in the path of the pin 46, therebylimiting the upward stroke of the flask carrier, as desired. The platemaybe removed at will by unscrewing the screw 54, so as to permit a fullstroke of the cylinder with resultant lateral movement of the flaskcarried by the flask carrier.

The operation of the machine is as follows:

lVe shall assume that the flash is of two parttype, comprising a cope Cand a drag D. The flask sections are assembled on a table in invertedposition with the drag D at the top and the cope C at the bottom andwith a pattern plate P fitted between the cope and the drag. The cope isseized between the trunnion pins 27 upon operating the handles 31 torelease said pins. The drag is now filled with sand and a mold board isplaced on the said. The arm 34 is then swung around, to the positionshown in Fig.2, so that the ram head 35 will overlie the mold and thelever is operated to release the ram head. Thereafter the table iselevated and reciprocated pneumatically in the usual manner, so that theflask will rap against the rain head and jar the sand closely about thepattern. The ram head is now raised by the cams 38 and is swunglaterally out of the way. Surplus sand is struck ofl' from the drag anda bottom board B is laid upon the drag over the sand. This board and theflask members are then "fastened together by suitable clamps, andcompressed air is introduced through the pipe 14a to raise the cylinder14 and thus lift the flask ofl the table 11, so that the flask may berolled over. The stop is set to limit the height to which the flask maybe raised, said limit being so set that the flash will just clear thetable as it is rolled over. After the flask has been rolled over, air isvented from the cylinder 14 to lower the flask upon the table. The partsare then in the position shown in the drawings with the cope C at thetop. The cope is now filled with sand which is jarred in the same way aswas the drag D. Then after the ram head has been swung out of the waythe sections are unclamped, and compressed air is again admitted to thecyl inder to raise the flask carrier. However, the cope alone is nowraised by the carrier and the drag remains on the table with the patternboard resting on the drag, so that as the carrier is raised the copewill be drawn from the pattern. After the cope and drag are separatedand the pat-tern has been removed, air is again vented from the cylinder14, permitting the cope to close down upon the drag. The cope is thenreleased from the trunnion pins by operating the handles 31, so that theflask may be removed by hand from the table.

The operation for a large mold is the same except that in such case thestop 50 is removed and the operator controls the height to which theflask carrier is raised by controlling the amount of compressed airadmitted into the cylinder. After the pattern has been drawn and thecope and drag sections have been closed together, 'sul'ticient air isfed into the cylinder to raise the latterto the upper limit of itsstroke,so that the cam surface 44 will coact with the pin 46 to swingthe flask clear ofthe machine, after which the air is released from thecylinder to lower the flask on a support adjacent the machine. Thehandles 31 are then operated'to disengage the flask and upon the nextupward and downward stroke of the cylinder the flasl: carrier will bereturned to its original position ready'to engage another flaslrassembled on the table. 3 r

Having thus described'our invention what we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is as follows: r

1. In a molding machine, a carrier,-means for vertically reciprocatingthe 1 carrier, means operating to swing the carrier laterally'when it israised above a predetermined limit, anda stop for arresting elevation ofthe carrier below said limit.

2. In a molding machine, a carrier, means for vertically reciprocatingthe carrier, means operating to swing the carrier laterally when it israised above a predetermined limit, and a readily removable stop forarresting elevation of the carrier below said limit.

3. In amolding machine, a carrier, means for vertically reciprocatingthe carrier, means operating to swing the carrier lateral- 1y when it israised above a predetermined limit,-and an adjustable stop forarrestingelevation of the carrier at a predetermined point below said limit. i

4. In a molding machine, a carrier, means for vertically reciprocatingthe carrier, a cam formed with two angularly spaced vertical grooves, apin on the carrier adapted to ride in said grooves, means at the top ofsaid grooves for swinging the pin from one groove to the other and viceversa and a stop removably secured adjacent one of the cam grooves forlimiting vertical movement of the pin therein. 1

5. In a molding machine, a carrier, means for vertically reciprocatingthe carrier, a cam formed with two angularly spaced vertical grooves, apin on the carrier adapted to ride in said grooves, means at the top ofsaid grooves for swinging the pin from one groove to the other and viceversa, a stop adjacent one of the cam grooves, and means for adjustingthe position of the stop to limit vertical movement of the pin in thelatter cam groove.

6. In a molding machine, a carrier, means for vertically reciprocatingthe carrier, a cam formed with two angularly spaced vertical grooves, apin on the carrier adapted to ride in said grooves, means at the top ofsaid grooves for swinging the pin from one groove to the other and viceversa, a facing adjacent one of the cam grooves, a plate adapted to spanthe latter cam groove and limit the travel of said pin, and means forsecuring the stop plate at any one of a number of predeterminedpositions on the facing.

7. In a molding machine, a carrier, means for vertically reciprocatingthe carrier, a cam formed with two angularly spaced vertical 1O grooves,a pin on the carrier adapted to ride in said grooves, means at the topof said grooves for swinging the pin from one groove to the other andvice versa, a stop member adapted to span one of the grooves to limittravel of the pin therein, and means for securing said member at anydesired adjustment along said groove.

8. In a molding machine, a table, a vertically movable cylinder, a fixedvertical column fitted within the cylinder and serving as a plungertherefor, means for charging air into and discharging air from thecylinder to efl'ect vertical movement of the cylinder with respect tothe plunger, a flask carrier mounted on the cylinder, a cam formed withtwo angular 1y spaced vertical grooves, a pin secured to the carrier andadapted to ride in said grooves, means for guiding the pin from the'topof one groove to the top of the other, a stop member adapted to span oneof the grooves to limit travel of the pin therein, and means forsecuring the stop member at any desired adjustment along said groove.

9. In a molding machine, a table, a vertically movable cylinder, a fixedvertical column fitted within the cylinder and serving as a plungertherefor, means for charging air into and discharging air from thecylinder to effect vertical movement of the cylinder with respect to theplunger, a flask carrier mounted on the cylinder, a cam formed with twoangularlyspaced vertical grooves, a pin secured to the carrier andadapted to ride in saidgroeves, means for guiding the pin from 5 the topof one groove to the top of the other, the cam being formed with areinforcing rib on one side of one of the cam grooves and a facingbordering the other side of said groove, a rectangular plate adapted to.fit upon the facing and against the rib, and

means for attaching the plate at one of a number of positions along thefacing to limit the travel of the pin in the latter cam groove.

In testimony whereof, we have signed this specification.

THOMAS O. MORRIS. JOHN J. LAWLOR.

